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HB Barnum Biography
About HB Barnum
Producer and arranger H.B. Barnum remains one of the unsung giants of popular music, collaborating with a who's who of acts spanning from Frank Sinatra to Puff Daddy. Born Hidle Brown Barnum in Houston on July 15, 1936, he won a nationwide amateur talent contest at the age of four, resulting in an appearance in the feature film Valley of the Sun Marches On. Within a year he was a regular on the children's television program Broom Stick Buckaroos as well as the radio smash Amos 'n Andy, additionally guest starring on The Jack Benny Show and CBS Playhouse. In 1955 Barnum co-founded the short-lived doo wop group the Dootones at the behest of Dootone label owner Dootsie Williams, releasing a lone single, "Teller of Fortune." A year later, he replaced Bobby Nunn in the Penguins, eventually assuming production duties on records like 1958's "Quarter to Twelve" and "It's Never Too Late." As Pee Wee Barnum, he cut his debut single, "Blue Moon," for Imperial. Efforts for Mun Rab ("Don't-Cha Know") and Ultra Sonic ("Just Goofin'") followed, and in 1959 he also notched his first major hit as a producer, reaching the U.S. Top Five with Dodie Stevens' "Tan Shoes and Pink Shoelaces." In 1960 Barnum scored a Top 40 pop hit of his own with the instrumental "Lost Love," signing to RCA later that year to release his debut LP, The Big Voice of Barnum -- H.B., That Is. Everybody Loves H.B. -- Barnum, That Is trailed in 1961, and while a handful of solo records followed, his performing career gradually took a backseat to his work as a studio arranger and producer. Upon joining Capitol Records in 1965 Barnum's reputation flourished. Often he worked in collaboration with producer and longtime friend David Axelrod, and together they forged an innovative orchestral jazz-funk sensibility much copied and sampled in the decades to come. Barnum's list of studio credits is remarkably long and distinguished, including sessions with Sinatra, Count Basie, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, and the Supremes. By the mid-'70s Barnum shifted his focus from pop music to television, scoring countless series and specials in addition to composing myriad advertising jingles. He also founded and directed H.B. Barnum's Life Choir, serving as minister of music at St. Paul's Baptist Church of Los Angeles. After hearing HB's smooth voice for many years, it was an absolute delight to watch him perform at the cleethorpes weekender. "heartbreaker" makes the hairs on my neck stand up and "hurts too much to cry" does just that, makes me cry! What a great thrill then, later on that day to be photographed by him at the "silly hour" on sunday afternoon! He joined in enthusiastically with all the fun and games and played a great, british classic game - british bull dogs - with a twist - all djays. His great big grin said it all. There were only a handful of fancy dressers and H.B had to judge us after we had to dance to two soul tunes! (in front of 250 people!) I jumped at the chance to be photographed with him although, not looking my best!! Great man. He can call in our club anytime he wants ... Denise H B Barnum H. B. Barnum and Ronald Barrett were both members of a jazz band while attending Fremont High in East Los Angeles. Unsure if they made any recordings. The Dootones (members H.B. Barnum, Ronald Barrett, Charles Gardner and Marvin Wilkins) Dootone 366 - Teller Of Fortune / Ay Si Si - 1955 (group was named after Dootsie Williams owner of Dootone records -- on the strength of this 45 the group managed to perform up and down the coast of California, they even sang backup for Jackie Wilson and Etta James. In mid 1955 Vernon Green of The Medallions needed to form a new set of Medallions, Dootsie Williams got him in touch with The Dootones and they became The Medallions for a tour of Canada. This set of Medallions never recorded together. After the tour The Dootones disbanded. Ronald Barrett went on to join The Meadowlarks. Charles Gardner joined Vernon Green's Medallions) The Robins (members Ty Terrell Leonard, Grady Chapman, Billy Richards, Roy Richards and H. B. Barnum) Whippet 200 - Cherry Lips / Out Of The Picture – 1956 Whippet 201 - Hurt Me / Merry-Go-Rock – 1956 Whippet 203 - That Old Black Magic / Since I First Met You – 1956 Whippet 206 - A Fool In Love / All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings – 1957 Whippet 208 - Every Night / Where's The Fire – 1957 Whippet 211 - In My Dreams / Keep Your Mind On Me – 1957 Whippet 212 - Snowball / You Wanted Fun* - 1958 *lead H. B. Barnum. The Robins (members Grady Chapman, Ty Terrell Leonard, Billy Richards and Roy Richards -- H. B. Barnum produced group and possibly had involvement in vocal accompaniments) Knight 2001- Quarter To Twelve / Pretty Little Dolly – 1958 Knight 2008 - It's Never Too Late / A Little Bird Told Me – 1958 Pee Wee Barnum Imperial 5530 - Blue Moon / Tia-Juana – 1958 H. B. Barnum / Don & Dewey Fidelity 3017 - H. B. Boogie / Jump Awhile* - 1959 *flip by Don and Dewey (both sides instrumentals) H. B. Barnum (born Hidle Brown Barnum on the 15-July-1936 in Houston, Texas) Mun Rab 103 - Don't-Cha Know / Give Me Love – 1959 Ultra Sonic 107 - Just Goofin' / Feeling – 1960 The Robins Arvee 5001 - Just Like That / Whole Lot Of Imagination – 1960 Arvee 5013 - Oh No! / Live Wire Suzie – 1960 The Ding Dongs (possibly The Robins with above members) Eldo 109 - Ding Dong (A.K.A. Saw Wood Mountain) / Sweet Thing – 1960 H. B. Barnum Eldo 111 - Lost Love / Hallelujah - 1960 The Ding Dongs (possibly The Robins with above members) Todd 1043 - Lassie Come Home / Late Last Night – 1960 The Dyna-Sores (members Jimmy Norman, H. B. Barnum and Ty Terrell) Rendezvous 120 - Alley-Oop / Jungle Walk – 1960 The Robins Gone 5101 - Baby Love / We Loved – 1961 The Robins (probably not the above members) Lavender 001 - How Many More Times / White Cliffs Of Dover – 1961 Lavender 002 - Mary Lou Does The Hoochie Koo / Magic Of A Dream – 1961 H. B. Barnum RCA Victor 47-7960 - Baby Baby Baby (All The Time) / How Many More Times – 1961 RCA Victor 47-8014 - Call On Me / Oh My Achin' Back – 1962 RCA Victor 47-8112 - It Hurts Too Much To Cry / Lonely Hearts - 1962 (some copies issued with picture sleeve) The Dootones (members ? .....................................................) Dootone 470 - Strange Love Affair / The Day You Said Goodbye – 1962 Dootone 471 - Sailor Boy / Down The Road* - 1962 *this flip was recorded by H. B. Barnum's set of The Dootones in 1955 and appeared on this set of Dootones second 45. The other 45 has nothing to do with H. B. Barnum. The Mad Lads (members …) Not the Stax group Mark-Fi 1934 - Why / Hey Man - 1962 (session H. B. Barnum) Jack B. Nimble (H. B. Barnum) Del Rio 2305 - Nut Rocker* / Never On Sunday - 1962 *covered in 1962 by B. Bumble and The Stingers on Rendezvous 166 Dot 16319 - (The Original) Nut Rocker / Never On Sunday - 1962 H. B. Barnum Imperial 66011 - Backstage / Rented Tuxedo – 1964 Imperial 66046 - Skakiaan (Skokiaan) / Ska Drums – 1964 Imperial 66063 - Calypso Blues / Three Room Flat – 1964 Imperial 66074 - Eternal Love / So What – 1964 Capitol 5391 - I'm A Man / The Record – 1965 Capitol 5440 - Gimme Some / Don't Forget 127th Street – 1965 Capitol 5477 - I Can't Help It / Dance With Me – 1965 Earl Wright Capitol 5516 - Thumb A Ride / Like A Rolling Stone - 1965 (H. B. Barnum claims that this was him conducting a group of L. A. session men on his own song) H. B. Barnum Capitol 5748 - Gotta Go / Nobody Want's To Hear Nobody's Trouble – 1966 Capitol 5932 - Heartbreaker / Searchin' For My Soul – 1967 Capitol 2036 - Baby, Love Me / The Bad Luck's On Me – 1967 Capitol 2139 - Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)* / What Did Sister Do - 1968 *also recorded in 1968 by Inez & Charlie Foxx on Dynamo 119. Capitol 2317 - Happiness / It's Just A Game, Love – 1968 H. B. Barnum / Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses Decca 32892 - Run To Daylight / Howard Hardsell* - 1971 *flip by Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses H. B. Barnum United Artists Xw338 - Theme From "5 On The Back Hand Side" / Keep It Comin' – 1973 Power Exchange Px-102 - Having A Party - Pt. 1 / Having A Party - Pt. 2 - 1974 The Mountain Climbers (members H. B. Barnum, Billie Barnum, Ruth Davis, Frank Polk, Jeanne King, ....
About HB Barnum
Producer and arranger H.B. Barnum remains one of the unsung giants of popular music, collaborating with a who's who of acts spanning from Frank Sinatra to Puff Daddy. Born Hidle Brown Barnum in Houston on July 15, 1936, he won a nationwide amateur talent contest at the age of four, resulting in an appearance in the feature film Valley of the Sun Marches On. Within a year he was a regular on the children's television program Broom Stick Buckaroos as well as the radio smash Amos 'n Andy, additionally guest starring on The Jack Benny Show and CBS Playhouse. In 1955 Barnum co-founded the short-lived doo wop group the Dootones at the behest of Dootone label owner Dootsie Williams, releasing a lone single, "Teller of Fortune." A year later, he replaced Bobby Nunn in the Penguins, eventually assuming production duties on records like 1958's "Quarter to Twelve" and "It's Never Too Late." As Pee Wee Barnum, he cut his debut single, "Blue Moon," for Imperial. Efforts for Mun Rab ("Don't-Cha Know") and Ultra Sonic ("Just Goofin'") followed, and in 1959 he also notched his first major hit as a producer, reaching the U.S. Top Five with Dodie Stevens' "Tan Shoes and Pink Shoelaces." In 1960 Barnum scored a Top 40 pop hit of his own with the instrumental "Lost Love," signing to RCA later that year to release his debut LP, The Big Voice of Barnum -- H.B., That Is. Everybody Loves H.B. -- Barnum, That Is trailed in 1961, and while a handful of solo records followed, his performing career gradually took a backseat to his work as a studio arranger and producer. Upon joining Capitol Records in 1965 Barnum's reputation flourished. Often he worked in collaboration with producer and longtime friend David Axelrod, and together they forged an innovative orchestral jazz-funk sensibility much copied and sampled in the decades to come. Barnum's list of studio credits is remarkably long and distinguished, including sessions with Sinatra, Count Basie, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, and the Supremes. By the mid-'70s Barnum shifted his focus from pop music to television, scoring countless series and specials in addition to composing myriad advertising jingles. He also founded and directed H.B. Barnum's Life Choir, serving as minister of music at St. Paul's Baptist Church of Los Angeles. After hearing HB's smooth voice for many years, it was an absolute delight to watch him perform at the cleethorpes weekender. "heartbreaker" makes the hairs on my neck stand up and "hurts too much to cry" does just that, makes me cry! What a great thrill then, later on that day to be photographed by him at the "silly hour" on sunday afternoon! He joined in enthusiastically with all the fun and games and played a great, british classic game - british bull dogs - with a twist - all djays. His great big grin said it all. There were only a handful of fancy dressers and H.B had to judge us after we had to dance to two soul tunes! (in front of 250 people!) I jumped at the chance to be photographed with him although, not looking my best!! Great man. He can call in our club anytime he wants ... Denise H B Barnum H. B. Barnum and Ronald Barrett were both members of a jazz band while attending Fremont High in East Los Angeles. Unsure if they made any recordings. The Dootones (members H.B. Barnum, Ronald Barrett, Charles Gardner and Marvin Wilkins) Dootone 366 - Teller Of Fortune / Ay Si Si - 1955 (group was named after Dootsie Williams owner of Dootone records -- on the strength of this 45 the group managed to perform up and down the coast of California, they even sang backup for Jackie Wilson and Etta James. In mid 1955 Vernon Green of The Medallions needed to form a new set of Medallions, Dootsie Williams got him in touch with The Dootones and they became The Medallions for a tour of Canada. This set of Medallions never recorded together. After the tour The Dootones disbanded. Ronald Barrett went on to join The Meadowlarks. Charles Gardner joined Vernon Green's Medallions) The Robins (members Ty Terrell Leonard, Grady Chapman, Billy Richards, Roy Richards and H. B. Barnum) Whippet 200 - Cherry Lips / Out Of The Picture – 1956 Whippet 201 - Hurt Me / Merry-Go-Rock – 1956 Whippet 203 - That Old Black Magic / Since I First Met You – 1956 Whippet 206 - A Fool In Love / All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings – 1957 Whippet 208 - Every Night / Where's The Fire – 1957 Whippet 211 - In My Dreams / Keep Your Mind On Me – 1957 Whippet 212 - Snowball / You Wanted Fun* - 1958 *lead H. B. Barnum. The Robins (members Grady Chapman, Ty Terrell Leonard, Billy Richards and Roy Richards -- H. B. Barnum produced group and possibly had involvement in vocal accompaniments) Knight 2001- Quarter To Twelve / Pretty Little Dolly – 1958 Knight 2008 - It's Never Too Late / A Little Bird Told Me – 1958 Pee Wee Barnum Imperial 5530 - Blue Moon / Tia-Juana – 1958 H. B. Barnum / Don & Dewey Fidelity 3017 - H. B. Boogie / Jump Awhile* - 1959 *flip by Don and Dewey (both sides instrumentals) H. B. Barnum (born Hidle Brown Barnum on the 15-July-1936 in Houston, Texas) Mun Rab 103 - Don't-Cha Know / Give Me Love – 1959 Ultra Sonic 107 - Just Goofin' / Feeling – 1960 The Robins Arvee 5001 - Just Like That / Whole Lot Of Imagination – 1960 Arvee 5013 - Oh No! / Live Wire Suzie – 1960 The Ding Dongs (possibly The Robins with above members) Eldo 109 - Ding Dong (A.K.A. Saw Wood Mountain) / Sweet Thing – 1960 H. B. Barnum Eldo 111 - Lost Love / Hallelujah - 1960 The Ding Dongs (possibly The Robins with above members) Todd 1043 - Lassie Come Home / Late Last Night – 1960 The Dyna-Sores (members Jimmy Norman, H. B. Barnum and Ty Terrell) Rendezvous 120 - Alley-Oop / Jungle Walk – 1960 The Robins Gone 5101 - Baby Love / We Loved – 1961 The Robins (probably not the above members) Lavender 001 - How Many More Times / White Cliffs Of Dover – 1961 Lavender 002 - Mary Lou Does The Hoochie Koo / Magic Of A Dream – 1961 H. B. Barnum RCA Victor 47-7960 - Baby Baby Baby (All The Time) / How Many More Times – 1961 RCA Victor 47-8014 - Call On Me / Oh My Achin' Back – 1962 RCA Victor 47-8112 - It Hurts Too Much To Cry / Lonely Hearts - 1962 (some copies issued with picture sleeve) The Dootones (members ? .....................................................) Dootone 470 - Strange Love Affair / The Day You Said Goodbye – 1962 Dootone 471 - Sailor Boy / Down The Road* - 1962 *this flip was recorded by H. B. Barnum's set of The Dootones in 1955 and appeared on this set of Dootones second 45. The other 45 has nothing to do with H. B. Barnum. The Mad Lads (members …) Not the Stax group Mark-Fi 1934 - Why / Hey Man - 1962 (session H. B. Barnum) Jack B. Nimble (H. B. Barnum) Del Rio 2305 - Nut Rocker* / Never On Sunday - 1962 *covered in 1962 by B. Bumble and The Stingers on Rendezvous 166 Dot 16319 - (The Original) Nut Rocker / Never On Sunday - 1962 H. B. Barnum Imperial 66011 - Backstage / Rented Tuxedo – 1964 Imperial 66046 - Skakiaan (Skokiaan) / Ska Drums – 1964 Imperial 66063 - Calypso Blues / Three Room Flat – 1964 Imperial 66074 - Eternal Love / So What – 1964 Capitol 5391 - I'm A Man / The Record – 1965 Capitol 5440 - Gimme Some / Don't Forget 127th Street – 1965 Capitol 5477 - I Can't Help It / Dance With Me – 1965 Earl Wright Capitol 5516 - Thumb A Ride / Like A Rolling Stone - 1965 (H. B. Barnum claims that this was him conducting a group of L. A. session men on his own song) H. B. Barnum Capitol 5748 - Gotta Go / Nobody Want's To Hear Nobody's Trouble – 1966 Capitol 5932 - Heartbreaker / Searchin' For My Soul – 1967 Capitol 2036 - Baby, Love Me / The Bad Luck's On Me – 1967 Capitol 2139 - Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)* / What Did Sister Do - 1968 *also recorded in 1968 by Inez & Charlie Foxx on Dynamo 119. Capitol 2317 - Happiness / It's Just A Game, Love – 1968 H. B. Barnum / Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses Decca 32892 - Run To Daylight / Howard Hardsell* - 1971 *flip by Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses H. B. Barnum United Artists Xw338 - Theme From "5 On The Back Hand Side" / Keep It Comin' – 1973 Power Exchange Px-102 - Having A Party - Pt. 1 / Having A Party - Pt. 2 - 1974 The Mountain Climbers (members H. B. Barnum, Billie Barnum, Ruth Davis, Frank Polk, Jeanne King, ....
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